The present disclosure relates generally to the field of energy management and storage systems. More specifically the present disclosure relates to energy storage systems for operation with heavy equipment for mining, excavating, and construction.
Heavy equipment, such as power shovels and excavators, may include a deck or other platform that rotates above tracks, wheels, pontoons, etc. Extending from the deck, the heavy equipment may further include a boom for an articulated arm or crane designed to operate a bucket, a breaker, a hook, or another form of work implement. Accordingly, such heavy equipment typically includes one or more actuators designed to move the tracks, rotate the deck, and operate the articulated arm and work implement.
Some types of heavy equipment are designed to operate in substantially-repetitive work cycles. By way of example, a power shovel or excavator may typically operate in work cycles that include digging, swinging, dumping, and returning steps for operating a bucket to dig and load fragmented rock, earth, minerals, overburden, and the like for mining purposes. These steps are essentially repeated time and time again, with minor variations to adjust the height at which the bucket engages the ground. The heavy equipment may use hydraulic cylinders or other forms of actuators to perform the lifting, rotating, and lowering movements.